From the pier, travel by motor coach along Zhongshan Road to the Bund. Extending between the Woosung River and the Old Town on Shanghai’s waterfront, this area was formerly the financial hub of colonial Shanghai. Perhaps the city’s most important sightseeing spot, the Bund showcases outstanding examples of foreign buildings from the pre-1950s. After passing through the Yan’an Lu Tunnel, you will arrive at the Pudong New Area. One of the most identifiable structures in Shanghai is the imposing Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower. This tower is considered by some to be one of the most commanding structures in Asia. Monstrous or magnificent—what do you think? Rising 1,535 feet above the Huangpu River, it was commissioned to be defiantly and symbolically 21st century. Nearby lies the 88-story Jin Mao building, the tallest skyscraper in China and a soaring monument to Shanghai’s economic boom. Completed in 2001, this building’s gently tapered design is said to embody China’s history and culture. From the observation deck on the top floor, your guide will explain the skyline and the building’s symbolic structure. Re-board your motor coach and head to People’s Square on the former site of a colonial British racecourse. Long considered the city’s commercial, cultural and political hub, People’s Square is easily accessible and provides a great opportunity to people watch, take a short stroll or photograph the surrounding sights. Before heading back to the ship, you will pass the lovely architecture of French Town—originally the French expatriate quarter. This fascinating area gained quite a reputation for lawlessness at one time, but its reputation has been softened by time and it now boasts an enchanting history.